New Twist In Cicero Arson Case

One of the suspects accused of setting a fire in a Cicero apartment building that killed seven people is the son of a woman who works for the owner of the building, authorities said Tuesday.

Officials said that Alice Bashum, the mother of Ronald Bashum, 27, runs a real estate office for Philip Grandinetti, the owner of the building at 1914-18 S. Cicero Ave., which was destroyed by fire on Jan. 7.

However, authorities declined to say if Mrs. Bashum or Grandinetti were under investigation in connection with the fire. Grandinetti Co. has an office at 1913 S. Cicero Ave. in the west suburb, across the street from the building that burned.

The other suspect, Scott Drazen, 20, who authorities say lives at 1913 S. Cicero Ave., Cicero, has said he helped set what he thought would be a

``small`` fire after Bashum asked for his assistance, according to Patrick Rogers, an assistant state`s attorney.

Drazen appeared at a brief hearing Tuesday in Cook County Criminal Court. At the hearing, Rogers said Drazen is being held at Drazen`s own request in the witness-protection quarters at County Jail ``for his own protection.``

Drazen has agreed to cooperate in the investigation, authorities have said.

Drazen and Bashum, of 1437 S. 49th Ave., Cicero, have been charged with aggravated arson and seven counts of murder. Bonds for both have been set at $1 million, although Drazen`s bond is officially a recognizance bond.

Police said the fire was set about 5 a.m. in a 24-unit building with six storefronts. Cicero officials have maintained that no one should have been living in the building because the owners had not complied with an order to renovate it or keep it vacant after a 1986 fire.

During the blaze, some tenants escaped by jumping out of windows or lowering themselves to safety using bed sheets. But authorities eventually found seven bodies in the rubble.

A witness told authorities that before the fire he saw two men carrying a gasoline can near the rear stairwell of the building, Rogers said. An investigation later found that the fire was deliberately set on the stairwell. The suspects were questioned, and Drazen admitted his role in a statement given to the chief of the state`s attorney`s arson unit, Rogers said. He said that Bashum has admitted only that he was on the scene.

Rogers said the arson investigation is continuing, but he refused to speculate about possible motives. He did say, however, that ``in all arson cases, we start with the question: Who would profit from this?``

``We`re following a number of leads,`` he said.

Authorities, however, have said there is no evidence suggesting the fire was set by someone who simply wanted to watch the building burn.

Rogers said that Drazen was sent to the witness-protection quarters at County Jail because ``he`s in fear of his life; he`s made that clear-he feels he`s in danger.``

Drazen has a prior robbery conviction and a pending theft case. Bashum has prior convictions for robbery and burglary.

Judge John Morrissey continued the case to March 1. He also agreed with a request by Ahmed Patel, an assistant public defender, that Drazen not be questioned further without the presence of his lawyer.